Coal pyrolysis gas from different ranks of coal was monitored on real time basis using photoionization mass spectroscopy. The molecular weight distribution of different products as a function of temperature from various coal ranks studied was observed. It was noted that the release of different classes of compounds like phenols, alkenes, alkylated aromatics and aromatic skeletons was temperature dependent. For all the coal ranks at lower temperatures phenols were the main component, with alkenes and alkylated aromatics at slight higher temperatures and aromatic skeletons were released at the highest temperatures studied.